Ten safest U.S. cities? Winners may surprise you

The 10 safest U.S. cities for families with young children are not sleepy places, as you might suspect, but rather bustling ones on mostly the East or West coast, according to a scorecard to be released Wednesday.

They include Boston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle, finds the study funded by Underwriters Laboratories, a non-profit safety organization, and conducted by Sperling's Best Places. Also on the top 10 for safety: Louisville, Ky.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Portland, Ore.; Tampa, Fla.; Virginia Beach, Va.

The study evaluated the 50 largest U.S. cities on 20 factors such as air quality, smoke alarm requirements, pool safety, bike helmet rules, fire response times, accident rates as well as the number of hospitals, police and fire departments per capita. It filtered out cities with the highest crime rates.

"There is a unique set of safety considerations that goes into developing safe homes, communities and environments for raising young children, and the purpose of the study was to bring awareness to the best practices in those areas," said Gus Schaefer, UL's public safety officer in releasing the findings.

The study found encouraging news. It said all 50 cities require smoke alarms and inspections after homes are built or remodeled while 47 of them have non-smoking legislation and 39 require bike helmets for children. UL described why the top 10 cities stood out and offered tips for parents to prevent accidents:

Ten safest cities:

Boston: With its many colleges and universities within the city and surrounding area, Boston is a center of higher education and a center for medicine. It's no wonder then that the city has the highest number of hospitals per capita. Boston also has low child injuries and pedestrian accidents and good air quality. To protect Boston's air quality, the Boston Air Pollution Control Commission (APCC) cooperates with local, regional, state and federal agencies to develop strategies and programs to improve air quality throughout the New England area.

Columbus, Ohio: Columbus has the lowest incidence of vehicle-related deaths and child poisonings among the top 10 cities. The city also shines in its low number of pedestrian accidents. Recently, Columbus' commitment to safety was evident when it hosted the National Motorcycle Safety Conference, which brought together more than 300 motorcycle safety professionals, managers and instructors from across the country to discuss ideas, challenges and solutions for reducing motorcycle crashes and related injuries in Ohio and the U.S.

Louisville, Ky.: Home to horse racing's biggest event, the Kentucky Derby, Louisville also has bragging rights to low pedestrian accident rates, quick fire response times and a high number of hospitals per capita. Louisville's fire protection is provided by 20 independent fire departments that work together through mutual aid agreements to protect the public from the dangers of fires. In 2007, Louisville instituted Operation School Zone, which used new laser technology to target and cite school zone speeders in order to create a safer environment for children traveling to and from school.

Minneapolis, Minn.: Minneapolis may indeed be the land of 10,000 lakes, but fortunately it has a low number of pedestrian accidents, fire and burn rates. Minneapolis also emerged as the leading combatant of "the silent killer," carbon monoxide. Minnesota's "Carbon Monoxide Detector Law" requires that all single family homes have a carbon monoxide alarm.

New York: Famous for its heroic FDNY, New York led all cities in fire response time. The city also led the way when it came to pool safety laws, police officers per capita, fireworks regulations, and low incidences of child poisoning and drowning rates. The city boasts the largest fire department-based EMS in the country.

Portland, Ore.: Portland had a low rate of poverty among families with children, low drowning rates and low fire and burn rates among children. Portland is often heralded as one of America's leading "green" cities, and appropriately topped the list in air quality. In 1999, the city of Portland, after recognizing the need to improve its air quality, launched "Portland Air Toxics Solutions," a program designed to study air pollution and establish benchmarks for improving the city's overall air quality. More than a decade later, the city's air quality has improved and is now among the best in the country.

San Francisco: The hilliest city in the country is very level-headed when it comes to safety. San Francisco scored well in residential sprinkler laws, pool safety laws, bike helmet laws, and also had one of the lowest rates of poverty among families with children. On top of that, the state of California will implement a law in January 2011 stating that any home built after that date must install a sprinkler system. Last year, zero fire-related deaths occurred in San Francisco homes with sprinkler systems.

Seattle: The Emerald City earned a gold star in several categories, including carbon monoxide alarm laws, bike helmet laws, and fire and burn rates among children. Additionally, the city exhibited strong smoke alarm regulations, fire response times, child injury rates and high air quality. In 2003, Washington's mandatory helmet law was extended to include Seattle. Cyclists of all ages are now required to wear a helmet while riding. In 2009, the Washington State Senate passed a bill requiring carbon monoxide alarms to be installed in all dwelling units built or manufactured after Dec. 31, 2009.

Tampa, Fla.: Strong smoke alarm regulations and fire response times contributed to Tampa being named a top 10 city. In July 2010, following a fatal home fire in Riverview, Fla., Tampa fire fighters initiated a program that offers free smoke detectors for homeowners in the city. The firefighters began the program by going door-to-door handing out free smoke alarms, and the department continues to operate a free smoke alarm program throughout the city.

Virginia Beach, Va.: Despite being part of an original colony, this historically situated city has a high percentage of new homes, making the chances of structure-related home accidents or led-based paint less likely. Virginia Beach had low poverty rates among families with children, and low vehicle-related deaths and pedestrian accidents. As of July, all passengers in a motor vehicle who are under 18 are required to wear a seatbelt, even in the backseat.

Tips for parents to prevent accidents:

See what your child sees: To avoid preventable hazards, get down on your hands and knees to see what children see both inside and outside the home. Search for objects or situations that may endanger children who will be at your home. Pay attention to sharp corners, dangling cords and any objects that may encourage children to climb or be a tripping hazard.

Make sure furniture is stable on its own: Every day, nearly 40 children visit the emergency room with injuries after a heavy piece of furniture – like a TV – falls on them. For added security, anchor to the floor or attach all entertainment units, TV stands, bookcases, shelving and bureaus to the wall using appropriate hardware, such as brackets, screws or toggles.

Set your water heater to 120°F or less: To avoid preventable burns and scalds from hot water, make sure your water heater's temperature is set below 120°F or set to "low." Anything above that temperature can cause a child severe burns within seconds. According to national burn statistics, approximately 2.4 million burn injuries are reported every year.

Beware of candles: According to the National Fire Protection Association, the small flames of candles cause approximately 15,000 home fires a year. If you have young children and pets, stop using candles or always blow them out before leaving a room.

Electrical warning signs: If your home was built more than 50 years ago, be aware of signs that you might need to update the wiring in your home. Potential warning signs that might require an electrician to inspect include wavering TV or computer screens; flickering or dimming lights; frequent shocks from appliances, outlets or wall switches; or receptacles or plugs that are hot to the touch. If you can't touch them for more than five seconds - you may have an overload.

Create a fire escape plan: In addition to having a smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area, draw a simple floor plan of your home. On it, mark two exits from every room, including windows, and an outside family assembly point, such as a driveway or parking lot. Write "Call 911" on the escape plan and post it in a central location, such as a refrigerator door.

Identify your family's "ICE" – the "in case of emergency" contact: If you have a cell phone, program your emergency contact as "ICE." ICE is recognized by police and first responders across the nation. Also, identify a relative who doesn't live in your home, who in an emergency situation may be in a better position than you to communicate among separated family members.

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About Wendy Koch

Wendy Koch has been a reporter and editor at USA TODAY since 1998, covering politics and social issues. She's begun a quest to build the most eco-friendly home her budget allows. She'll share her experience and give you tips for greening your home. More about Wendy